Lightest Bikes

[mon-goose]

On the subject of light bikes - what's an acceptable weight range for an aluminium frame and carbon forks? (With or without bb and headset)

[AndreZA]

On the subject of light bikes - what's an acceptable weight range for an aluminium frame and carbon forks? (With or without bb and headset)

 

Without breaking the bank and without headset, seatpost, BB the frame should be between 1000 and 1200g and the for around 500g. If you've got a bank to break then sub 1kg for the frame and 400g for the fork.

 

 

 

 

[greatwhite]

are the litespeed ghisallos the lightest frames in the world? isnt carbon l-ighter than ti?

 

They are the lightest production frames' date=' but are quite flexy.

[/quote']

 

I think the scott addict at 790 gram with intergrated seat tube is lighter - I suspect quite a bit stiffer too.

 

The Litespeed weighs 763g..ex seatpost.

 

763g for a small frame (765g per litespeed site) or 840g for a ML size frame which is dimensionally about the same as 790g M size addict.

 

That said, in the long haul I'd trust the titanium frame more than the carbon frame, even though the Ti frame will be seriously whippy.

[Mudsimus]

Bottomline....I wont buy anyone of the two.

[Owen]

Most light frames dont last very long. Many people tend to want to buy the lightest frame but then put a 85kg body to pedal it.

 

I will never forget when i worked in a bike shop, when this porker walks in with a kitchen scale. He wanted the lightest tubes. At first i thought it was joke. Some mothers children.

[Pantani]

 

Most light frames dont last very long. Many people tend to want to buy the lightest frame but then put a 85kg body to pedal it.

 

I will never forget when i worked in a bike shop' date=' when this porker walks in with a kitchen scale. He wanted the lightest tubes. At first i thought it was joke. Some mothers children.

[/quote']

 

I agree... You are an expert on this matter of Porkers and light frames!

 

[greatwhite]

Most light frames dont last very long. Many people tend to want to buy the lightest frame but then put a 85kg body to pedal it.

 

I will never forget when i worked in a bike shop' date=' when this porker walks in with a kitchen scale. He wanted the lightest tubes. At first i thought it was joke. Some mothers children.

[/quote']

 

Hey!!! I'm one of those 'porkers' ..... Well not so much of the porker, just blessed with genetics that make me better at flats and track than hills and MTB

 

Weight & Simple rules for bike selection:

 

1st Geometry - if you aren't comfortable and can't get the power down, you'll hate riding the bike AND be slow.

 

2nd Stiffness - if the bike flexes too much, you loose energy and be slow. If its too hard, you get fatigue and in the long run you are slow.

 

3rd Weight - Only when the above are satisfied worry about weight - the only time weight counts is on climbs and accelaration. Saving 200g on a frame could cost you R10k extra and represent less than .25% saving on cyclist/bike combined mass. Lay off the McDonalds for a months and you'll get more benefit than that.

 

[mon-goose]

greatwhite - i agree with you on all 3 points. I only weigh 63kg and can't afford to loose any body weight so has to be the bike. The one point not mentioned here is the physcological aspect. There's just something about knowing you have a light machine below you. It may only be 500g less than another bike but somehow it just feels a lot lighter. So sure it may cost more but the feeling you get is worth it (within reason of course)

[1skinnyman]

mon-goose, greatwhite:  i agree as well, my bathroom scale only goes to 60kg's...never reached the 60kg mark i'm only 55kg.  i can't loose anymore weight, so the grams have to come off the bike

[greatwhite]

greatwhite - i agree with you on all 3 points. I only weigh 63kg and can't afford to loose any body weight so has to be the bike. The one point not mentioned here is the physcological aspect. There's just something about knowing you have a light machine below you. It may only be 500g less than another bike but somehow it just feels a lot lighter. So sure it may cost more but the feeling you get is worth it (within reason of course)

 

Agreed, the mind does play a big role and it also feels great especially out of the saddle when you are on a stiff light bike.

[candice]

Hey Obie

 

ARE U RACING IN BLOEM, CAN ANYONE JOIN?

 

CANDY